Our Hadracha Social Activism Institute is the premiere Jewish social activism and leadership training program for teens today.

The Hadracha Experience

Join us for Tel Yehudah’s flagship summer experience! In Hadracha, you will create a real world activist campaign to make an impact around today’s most important issues, from Israel advocacy and fighting anti-Semitism to combatting human trafficking and poverty. As the oldest participants at Tel Yehudah, you will also be trained in practical leadership (hadracha) skills and have opportunities to lead camp-wide activities including Maccabia (Color War), Shabbat activities and peulot (recreational and educational activities) for the rest of camp.

Not only do Hadracha teens get all the expected fun of camp through regularly visiting our activity areas, bunk activities, our electives program, rafting on the Delaware River and camping overnight at our nature site. You will also will live, eat and sleep in intimate Machaneh Bet (Bet Camp) where teens help run the daily life of camp!

Choose which of today’s most important issues you care most about and over the course of the summer explore that issue and develop an activism action plan with other teens.

Gain a practical skill set by taking part in one of our “activism studios,” which is a 6-8 part series of workshops in which teens focus on a specific leadership area and skill sets (politics, art, outreach, etc.)

Go to Washington, DC for a three day activism and fact-finding mission to learn more about what is being done and what could be done around your issue (see “Trip Highlights” below for more details)

Get a taste of college by living in a George Washington University Dormitory while in Washington, DC

Greet the day by raising the flags with the rest of camp and our Tsofim (Israeli scouts)

9:00-9:30am

Aruchat Boker (Breakfast)

Sit with your bunk to start the morning together over a hot, fresh and delicious breakfast

9:40-10:20am

T’fillot (Morning Prayers)/Alternative T'fillot

You will partake in a meaningful camp-wide prayer activity led by staff and teens

10:30-10:50am

Nikayon B’Tsrif (Bunk cleaning)

Check your bunk's work-wheel and see what your cleaning assignment is for today and get to work to keep that bunk spiffy!

11:00-12:00pm

Visit Specialty Area

Teens from your chug can either visit Omanut (Arts and Crafts) or Drama

12:10am-1:10pm

Peulah: Prophets of Israel

Your staff has prepared an informal and fun educational activity to help you learn about the history of Prophecy of Israel and relevance to today

1:20-2:05pm

Aruchat Tsohorayim (Lunch)

Come for the delicious, healthy and kosher meal; stay for the Shira (singing) or Rikud (dancing) session in the Chadar Ochel (dining hall)!

2:15-3:05pm

Zman Bechira (Elective Period)

You can choose from a variety of recreational activities ranging from team sport activities, video-making, jam band, arts & crafts, Israeli dance, etc.

3:10-5:00pm

Chofesh (Open Choice Activities)

You can choose activities and spend time with friends under general staff supervision. Specialty areas, including the pool, are open during this time to offer special options, so you can enjoy more of the activities you love!

5:10-6:10pm

Visit Specialty Area

Your chug can either visit Tsofiut (Israeli scouts) or Sports

6:20-7:20pm

Bunk Time: Low Ropes Course

Your bunk is heading to the low ropes course for bonding and team building

7:30-8:30pm

Aruchat Erev (Dinner)

Sit with your friends in other chugim and enjoy a themed camp-wide dinner

8:35-8:45pm

Sikkum Yom (Daily Check in)

You will check in with your bunk staff to review the day, experiences, etc.

9:00-10:15pm

Peulat Erev (Night Activity)

What's your “fun” group, evening activity tonight? Your chug is having a Mediterranean themed pool and dance party under the stars!

10:30-11:15pm

Peulat Laila Tov (In-Bunk nightly activity)

End the evening with this nightly activity to bond with your bunkmates and wind down before heading to bed

11:15pm

Laila Tov (Lights Out)

You've had a long, fun day and you need your sleep to get ready to do it again tomorrow!

Trip Highlights

The DC Activism Mission sends our teens to Washington, DC to rub elbows and ask the hard questions with our nation’s leaders in Congress, government agencies and at leading global and national advocacy organizations. Teens will have a customized itinerary based on their “tikun team” issue and leadership studio issue, all while seeing the sights and sounds of our nation’s capital and getting a taste of college life in a dormitory! Some of the DC Activism Misison’s highlights include:

Meet in person with the office of at least two US Senators or House Representatives